The University of MaineDigitalCommons@UMaine

Poster Presentations Center for Community Inclusion and DisabilityStudies

4-2018

Disrupting Disability: Social Practice ArtJaimi CliffordUniversity of Maine

Students of DIS 450 and DIS 520

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/ccids_posters

Part of the Art Practice Commons, Social Work Commons, and the Theatre and PerformanceStudies Commons

This Poster is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Poster Presentations by anauthorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact um.library.technical.services@maine.edu.

Recommended CitationClifford, J. and Students from DIS 450 and DIS 520. (2018, April). Disrupting disability: Social practice art. Poster presented at the 2018University of Maine Student Symposium: Research & Creative Activity. Bangor, ME.

Disrupting Disability: Social Practice ArtJaimi Clifford1; DIS 450 students, DIS 520 students, Stephen Gilson2

1 School of Social Work, 2 Interdisciplinary Disability Studies, Center for Community Inclusion andDisability Studies, University of Maine

IntroductionVisuality and imagery are two powerful mechanisms embedded within cultures that perpetuate as well as reflect structural violence. Despite the serious harm caused by unchecked cultural violence, it is often overlooked, particularly as it appears or is absent in image. This study examines how image both creates institutional violence exercised through discrimination against aging and disabled populations and how socially engaged art, curation, and performance are being used to disrupt and reverse oppression, discrimination, and exclusion. The work of multiple socially engagedArtists/curators/performers was examined to unpack the creative process, reasoning, and artistic approaches that are being used to subvert ensconced but unrealized discriminatory memes. Understanding the social practice art process therefore provides critically important guidance for understanding, teaching and innovation in socially engaged productions.

MethodologyA naturalistic study relying on individual interview of diverse artists/curators/performers answered the following research questions:• How do social practice artists/curators/performers identify their focus and method? • What are the factors that characterize the process of social practice art specific to

disability and aging? • What outcomes are expected from the project?• To what extent are these outcomes realized and how?

Data CollectionIndividual interviews were conducted with a range of social practice curators/artists/performers. The following questions framed the interviews.1. How did you identify the focus and method for your work? What factors in your life

led to this interest and agenda? 2. Can your describe your work/project now with regard to its content, process, genre?

How did this work evolve? 3. What imagery/themes is/are central to your work? What do you want people to see?4. What outcomes do you hope to achieve from your work/project for yourself?

Viewers? Disabled and elder populations? Other? 5. To what extent are these outcomes realized and how do you know? 6. Do you consider yourself a social practice or socially engaged artist or practitioner?

Why or why not? 7. What else can you tell me about your work that would help me to understand how it

evolved, your current practice and what you hope to achieve?

AnalysisAll interviews were transcribed. Thematic analysis was conducted to reveal the range of practices, processes, and outcomes.

The Informants

A dancer – Jerron HermonA disability fashion and design advocate – Liz JacksonCurator, Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt Design Museum – Cara McCartyA documentarian photographer – Anthony TuslerAn academic/multi-media artist – Kevin GotkinA design academic, University of Dundee – Graham PullinA fabric artist – A. Laura BrodyA curator/scholar – Amanda CachiaPerformance artist – Carmen PapaliaResearch-based artist – Jeff KasperPainter/photographer – Kathryn HuskFounder and Artistic Director, Axis Dance Company – Judith Smith

FINDINGS Range of ProductionsNightlife accessibility in NYLuminestic-Cane that lights up to users heartbeatDancing in Times SquareSounds of DisabilityPhotography of disability rights movement from the vantage point of a wheelchairThe Disabled List-brilliant strategies to live in a world that is not designed for our bodiesCommunity-based performance artAccess+Ability Exhibit-Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt Design MuseumOpulent Mobility

What provoked them?RejectionLoved one or self is/became disabledCommitment to equal rightsTheir own bodiesInductive practiceCuriosityCreativity

Their processesRange from empirically informed to inductive and unfoldingMild to “in your face disruptive”

So what do they accomplish?• Awareness that we “live in a

disabling society• Inspiring envy through beautiful

design• Highlight stigmatizing attitudes• Disruption• Emotional response• Call to action• Changes in perception of

human value• Move from the “ugly to the

ingenious brand”

924Submission No.

2018 University of Maine Student Symposium, Cross Insurance Center, Bangor ME, April 17, 2018